The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of an under spray arrangement for toilet bowls and the like, which serves to spray water under pressure to given parts of the body of a user of the toilet bowl for hygenic cleansing purposes.
With prior art toilet bowl devices equipped with a spray unit, upon placing into operation the spray unit, the tube or pipe formed as a piston and arranged to be lengthwise displaceable in a cylinder, which tube is equipped with a spray head, can be extended by means of a pressure force exerted thereon by the pressure of the water. When the tube or pipe is in its extended position, in other words in its work position water is then sprayed through the spray head against the parts of the body which are to be washed or cleansed. The water which is used for this purpose is conventional tap water of the structure or building housing the toilet facilities, this water being pressurized by a pump and heated by a heater. Following the washing operation hot air is blown against the parts of the body which were wetted by the water, in order to dry such body parts, whereafter there is accomplished the usual flushing of the bowl of the toilet.
Such type toilet bowl systems equipped with a spray device have been disclosed, for instance, in Swiss Pat. No. 345,312 and Swiss Pat. No. 471,292. The spray devices or units of such prior art patent have the spray tube or pipe which is constructed as a piston, upon initiation of the flushing action, shifted into the work position due to action of the pressurized water. The work position is fixed by a mechanical stop, and the water pressure overcomes the force of a return or restoring spring which acts in the opposite direction upon the spray tube or pipe. When the spray tube or pipe has assumed the work position, then the water pressure is increased. As a result, a spring-loaded valve arranged in the spray tube frees a passage through which the water can flow into the inner compartment or space of the spray tube and thus can flow to the spray head and be sprayed thereby.
Upon completion of the washing operation there is interrupted the infeed of water to the spray device or spray unit. Consequently, the spring-loaded valve arranged in the spray tube or pipe first closes under the action of its spring, and then the spray tube is moved back into its rest position within the cylinder due to the action of the restoring or return spring.
This arrangement which comprises two springs of different spring force is complicated in construction and possesses a great number of individual parts. In particular, in order to overcome the spring force acting upon the valve by means of the pressure of the water, it is necessary that the equipment possess an additional water pump, since the water pressure of the tap water is smaller than the spring pressure of the spring acting upon the valve. Additionally, the two springs of the arrangement must be carefully accommodated to one another to ensure for a disturbance-free operation thereof.